If ever there was a modern organization that understands, heart and soul, the spirit of long-standing tradition and the culture of custom, it's the Tournament of Roses Association.
Might we even say their p's and q's are very well-minded? We might.
After all, that seen-by-millions-around-the-globe event the association oversees each New Year's Day is steeped in heritage and practices that are observed each and every year. The white-suited volunteers? The queen and her court?
Tradition, capital T.
So when a parade participant comes along with its own quirky custom, at least regarding what the float in question will depict, you have to know that the Tournament people are quite sympathetic.
Dare we say they might even be "bubbly" over the idea that the Princess Cruises people intend to christen their 2015 float in the bottle-against-boat -- we mean float, rather -- manner?
Yes, "bubbly," as in Champagne. Yes, we're leaving it.
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The drink will fly front of the Phoenix Decorating Company's Pasadena headquarters on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the un-Champagne-y hour of 7 a.m. Two other floats will be out for testing that morning, too, if you're a float fan and like to see behinds-the-scenes-y work. Nope, the Western Asset float won't have its flower covering yet, nor will the Farmers Insurance float, but you'll get to see how a large parade vehicle rolls, up-close.
And 7 a.m. is not too bad, really. Surely you can get "bubbly" at the thought of waking up to see some float prep weeks ahead of the parade?
Yes, we're still leaving it.
A representative for the float-building company, which has wayback ties to the Tournament, says this is the first traditional float christening that he's aware of it.
It's all in honor of the 50th anniversary of Princess Cruises. And if you're wondering if the cast of "The Love Boat" will be aboard the travel-themed float on New Year's Day, wonder no longer: They shall be, from Gopher to Isaac to Julie.
Rose Parade, looks like you're getting a new float custom, the old-school boat-meets-bottle one, which is pretty cute, considering that the intersection of Colorado and Orange Grove Boulevards, the nexus of the Rose Parade, is some 27 miles from the nearest ocean.
